Editing Mu'awiya (section)

===The Battle of Siffin===
The deadlock between 'Ali and Mu'awiya led to the [https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-the-quran/siffin-battle-of-EQSIM_00388 Battle of Siffin] in 657 c.e. The battle was brought to an end when Mu'awiya, whose army was on the verge of defeat, proposed that the conflict be resolved through negotiation. The two parties agreed to arbitration (tahkim). In fact, Mu'awiya was able to avoid defeat by adopting the clever ruse of placing pages of the Koran on his soldiers' lances, which signified that his quarrel with Ali should be settled not through fighting but by consulting the book of God.

The decision of the arbiters that both 'Ali and Mu'awiya be relieved of their posts did not resolve the conflict. Ali's supporters, in particular, rejected the outcome of the arbitration.

In the meanwhile, Mu'awiya had succeeded in gaining the support of the Syrians. In 658 he dispatched [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Amr-ibn-al-As Amr ibn al-As] to conquer Egypt on his behalf. While Mu'awiya's position was strengthened by the conquest of Egypt, 'Ali's position in Iraq (where his capital was based) was considerably weakened.